Reply letter sheet



March 27, 1962 H, B. JOHNSON REPLY LETTER SHEET March 27, 1962 H. B. JOHNSON.

REPLY LETTER SHEET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. ll, 1960 l INVENTOR Ha roldJobnSon,

BYMQMMQM ATTORNEYS Uited rates 3,027,067 REPLY L TTER SHEET Harold B. Johnson, 44 St. James Place, Budalo, N.Y. Filed Jan. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 1,713 1 Claim. (Cl. 229-86) This invention relates to a reply letter sheet adapted to be folded into envelope form, for both original and return mailing, and more specifically to such a letter sheet having means for tearing open the same both by the original recipient and by the return addressee.

In my pending application Serial No. 663,545, filed June 4, 1957, now Patent No. 2,927,723, dated March 8, 1960, and constituting an improvement over my Patent 1,960,054, granted May 22, 1934, I disclose a reply letter sheet foldable into envelope form for both original and return mailing and having tear strings for opening the same, not only by the original recipient, but also by the return recipient.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a reply letter sheet of simplified construction, as compared to that of my pending application, while retaining the advantages accruing from a tear string arrangement operable by the original recipient and by the return addressee. v

In one aspect thereof, a reply letter sheet of my present invention is characterized by the provision of first and second address panels foldable against each other into envelope form, each of the address panels having anchor flaps along the top and opposite side edges thereof with the anchor flaps of the first address panel being used to secure the letter sheet in envelope form for original mailing, and with the anchor aps of the second address panel being used to secure the letter sheet in envelope form yfor returning mailing, together with first tear string means along the top and opposite side edges of the first address panel for severing the anchor flaps thereof to open the letter sheet after original mailing, and second tear string means along the top and opposite side edges of the second address panel for severing the anchor ifaps thereof to open the letter sheet after return mailing.

The foregoing and other advantages, objects and characterizing features of a reply letter sheet of my invention will become clearly apparent from the ensuing detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing illustrating said embodiment wherein like reference numerals denote like parts throughout the various views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one side of a reply letter sheet of my invention, as it appears prior to use;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the other side thereof with the anchor flaps of the second address panel folded in, preparatory to original mailing;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of my reply letter sheet folded into envelope form and ready for original mailing;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view thereof;

FIG. 5 is a plan view thereof, showing the condition of my reply letter sheet after it has been opened by the original recipient;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of my reply letter sheet folded into envelope form for return mailing;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view thereof; and

FIG. 8 is a plan View thereof, showing the condition of my reply letter sheet after it has been opened by the return recipient.

While I refer primarily to original and return mailing throughout the specification and claims, because I believe that usually the reply letter sheet of my invention will be used where it is desired to have the original 3,027,067 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 addressee return the same to the sender, it will be appreciated that my reply letter sheet, instead of being returned, could as well be forwarded to a second recipient. Therefore, I intend to include such use within the scope of this specification and the claims appended hereto.

Referring now in detail to the illustrative embodiment of my invention depicted in the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that there is provided a reply letter sheet comprising a body panel 1 having a first address panel 2 secured thereto along the edge 3 thereof, and a second address panel 4 secured thereto along the opposite edge 5 thereof. Thus, panels 1, 2 and 4 each have an articulated connection to the adjacent panel at the indicated edges, and I contemplate that my letter sheet will be formed of a single sheet of paper, or other suitable material, with fold lines 3 and 5 being provided as by scoring or other appropriate means. For reasons to become apparent, fold line 3 can be perforated or otherwise appropriately formed so that first address panel 2 can readily be separated from body panel 1 by the original recipient if desired.

The first address panel 2 is provided at the opposite sides thereof with anchor flaps 6, and at the top thereof, as distinguished from the bottom at fold line 3, with anchor flap 7. The second address panel 4 is provided along its opposite side and top edges with anchor flaps 8 and 9, respectively. For convenience, the corresponding face of each panel 1, 2 and 4 is denoted A (FIG. l), and the opposite face thereof is denoted B (FIG. 2), and it Will be seen from FIG. l that it is the face A of anchor flaps 6, 7, 8 and 9 which is provided with a suitable adhesive material.

The face A of first address panel 2 is intended to contain the name and address 10 of the original recipient or addressee, as well as the name and address 11 of the original sender. The face A of second address panel 4 contains the name and address 12 of the return addressee 12, and the name and address 13 of the return sender. Where used for commercial purposes, face A of `second address panel 4 also can be provided with the usual business reply perrnit information in the space 14. The face B of first address panel 2 can contain the information or message being conveyed to the original recipient, such as for example a statement for services rendered, as indicated at 10. Alternately, all three faces B of panels 1, 2 and 4 can be used as an order blank, or for a message by either or both the original sender and the original recipient.

For severing anchor flaps 6, through 9, in a manner to be described, I provide on the face B of lirst address panel 2 a first tear string 15 which extends along the opposite side and top edges thereof, at the junctures with anchor aps 6 and 7, with its opposite ends projecting slightly, as indicated in an exaggerated manner at 16, for being grasped by the person desiring to open the envelope. A second tear string 17 is provided along the opposite side and top edges of face B of second address panel 4, adjacent the junctures thereof with the anchor flaps 8 and 9, with its opposite ends 18 projecting slightly for being grasped in like manner. Tear strings 15 and 17 can be applied in any desired manner, it being contemplated that they will each comprise continuous tear strings glued or otherwise caused to adhere to the material of the letter sheet. A space can be provided, as indicated at 15' and 17', containing instructions regarding the use of tear strings 15 and 17, respectively.

For original mailing, the sheet is folded into the form illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, wherein the face A of first address panel 2 comprises the front face of the envelope, as illustrated in FIG. 3, and the anchor flaps 6 and 7 thereof are used to secure the letter sheet in envelope form, as illustrated in FIG. 4. In such folding, anchor aps, 8 and 9 are folded against face B of second address panel 4, as indicated in FIG. 2, and second address panel 4 then is folded against body panel 1, the first address panel 2 lthen being folded over second address panel 4.

The original recipient, desiring to open the envelope of FIGS. 3 and 4, simply grasps either or both of the projecting ends 16 of the rst tear string 15, and pulls the same to sever the anchor flaps 6 and 7 from first: address panel 2. Then, when the letter sheet is opened it will have the `form illustrated in FIG. 5. First address panel can be detached along line 3, if desired, or it can remain attached to body panel 1.

For return mailing, or forwarding, the first address panel 2 is folded against body panel 1, if it has not been detached therefrom, and second address panel 4 is folded thereover. Anchor flaps 8 and 9 are then secured to face A of the body panel 1, whereby there is provided a completely closed envelope, in which a check or any other insert can safely be contained, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The second recipient, desiring to open the envelope illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, simply grasps either or both of the ends 18 of tear string 17 and pulls the same, severing anchor flaps 8 and 9 from second address panel 4 and leaving a reply letter sheet comprising the original sheet minus the projecting anchor liaps and panel 2 if already detached by the original addressee. 'I'he flaps 6 through 9 have been severed from panels 2 and 4, and applied to face A of body panel 1, leaving a simple, rectangular sheet, panels 2 and 4, ready for convienient tiling, with its message face B free and clear of aps and strings.

Thus, there is provided a reply letter sheet having tear strings for opening the same both by the original recipient and by the second recipient, and which nonetheless is of a relatively simple and inexpensive construction. It will be appreciated that, while I have disclosed in detail only one, presently preferred embodiment of my invention, such detailed disclosure is intended to be illustrative only. I am aware that modifications and variations might well be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of my invention,

and I intend to include the same within the scope of the appended claim.

Having fully disclosed and completely described my invention, and its mode of operation, what I claim as new is:

A reply letter sheet foldable into envelope form and having means for opening the same after both original and return mailing comprising, a body panel, a first address panel secured to said body panel along one edge thereof, a second address panel secured to said body panel along the opposite edge thereof, said second address panel being folded against said body panel and said lirst address panel being folded over said second address panel for original mailing, said rst address panel being folded against said body panel and said second address panel being folded over said first address panel for return mailing, foldable anchor aps along the top and opposite side edges of each of said first and second address panels with said lirst address panel anchor flaps being used to secure said letter sheet in folded envelope form for original mailing and said second address panel anchor ilaps being used to secure said letter sheet in folded envelope form for return mailing, iirst tear string means along the top and opposite side edges of said lirst address panel for severing the anchor aps thereof to open said letter sheet after original mailing, and second tear string means along the top and opposite side edges of said second address panel for severing the anchor flaps thereof to open said letter sheet after return mailing, said first and second tear string means being separate and each comprising a continuous tear string along the top and opposite side edges of the associated address panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,927,723 Johnson Mar. 8, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 31,848 Switzerland -July 7, 1904 316,284 Italy g Apr. 2, 1934 354,759 France Aug. 4, 1905 

